115-334 ) reauthorized most mandatory conservation programs through FY2023.. 116-94 ), which includes agriculture and related agencies under Division B.. According to the Administration's FY2020 request, the proposed reduction is the result of "realizing efficiency improvements.". Discretionary Conservation Programs

		Conservation Operations

NRCS administers all discretionary conservation programs.. Given the decline in CO-funded technical assistance staff years, it is difficult to evaluate how the transfer of NRCS positions to the FPAC Business Center has impacted the agency's overall operations and ability to provide technical assistance to farmers and ranchers.. In FY2019, Congress realigned funding and staff to the Business Center, including funding from NRCS discretionary accounts and $60.2 million from mandatory farm bill conservation program accounts.. Mandatory Conservation Programs

Mandatory conservation programs are generally authorized in omnibus farm bills and receive funding from the CCC and thus do not require an annual appropriation.. Most conservation program funding is mandatory, obtained through the Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) and authorized in omnibus farm bills (about $6.4 billion of CCC budget authority for conservation in FY2020).. Much of the conservation technical assistance provided by NRCS is funded through the CTA program within CO. Funds are used to support salaries and expenses for NRCS staff, technology development, conservation system design, compliance reviews, grants to partners for additional technical assistance capacity, and resource assessment reports.. NRCS Staffing Levels

The CO account funds more than half of NRCS staff, with other, smaller discretionary programs and mandatory conservation programs accounting for the remainder.. On December 20, 2019, Congress passed and the President signed the FY2020 Further Consolidated Appropriations Act ( P.L.. Policy-Related Provisions

In addition to setting budgetary amounts, the Agriculture appropriations bill may also include policy-related provisions that direct how the executive branch should carry out an appropriation.. The FPAC Business Center has also impacted NRCS staffing and funding levels (for more information on the Business Center, see the " Farm Production and Conservation Business Center " section).. The FY2020 appropriation included an increase from FY2019 levels for discretionary conservation programs.. The FY2020 appropriation increases CO funding in FY2020 by $10.1 million from FY2019 and directs CO funding for a number of conservation programs ( Table 1 ).. The FY2020 appropriation provides the Administration's requested level of $206.5 million in discretionary funding for the FPAC Business Center.. The Trump Administration's FY2020 budget requested $755.0 million for CO, $64.5 million less than the amount enacted for FY2019, in part due to a proposed consolidation of mandatory and discretionary accounts to pay for conservation technical assistance.. The appropriation increases WFPO funding to $175 million, $25 million more than the FY2019 level of $150 million.. The mandatory funding is in addition to discretionary funding provided through annual appropriations.. The two lead agricultural conservation agencies within USDA are the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), which provides technical assistance and administers most conservation programs, and the Farm Service Agency (FSA), which administers the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP).. This is $10 million less than Congress provided in FY2019.. This report provides a brief overview of the conservation-related provisions in the FY2020 Agriculture appropriations acts.. Watershed Programs

The FY2020 appropriation includes funding for watershed activities, including Watershed and Flood Prevention Operations (WFPO)âa program that assists state and local organizations with planning and installing measures to prevent erosion, sedimentation, and flood damage.
The Agriculture appropriations bill funds the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) except for the Forest Service. The FY2020 Further Consolidated Appropriations Act ( P.L. 116-94 , Division B) includes funding for conservation programs and activities at USDA, among other departments.
Agricultural conservation programs include both mandatory and discretionary spending. Most conservation program funding is mandatory and is authorized in omnibus farm bills. Other conservation programsâmostly technical assistanceâare discretionary spending funded through annual appropriations. The FY2020 appropriation includes an increase from FY2019 levels for discretionary conservation programs and generally rejects the Administration's proposed reductions to discretionary and mandatory conservation programs.
The largest discretionary conservation program is the Conservation Operations (CO) account, which funds conservation planning and implementation assistance on private agricultural lands across the country. The CO account is administered by the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and funds more than half of the agency's total staff positions. The FY2020 enacted appropriation increases funding for CO by $10.1 million above FY2019 levels to $829.6 million.
A decline in funding for CO over time has resulted in declining NRCS staffing levels. Much of the conservation technical assistance provided by NRCS is funded through the Conservation Technical Assistance program within CO. Funds are used to support salaries and expenses for NRCS staff, technology development, conservation system design, compliance reviews, grants to partners for additional technical assistance capacity, and resource assessment reports. Reduced staff could impact NRCS's ability to provide technical assistance and administer farm bill conservation programs to farmers and ranchers.
The recently created Farm Production and Conservation (FPAC) Business Center receives $206.5 million in the FY2020 appropriationâ$9.8 million less than in FY2019. The FPAC Business Center is responsible for various administrative services for three USDA agencies, including NRCS. In FY2019, Congress realigned funding from NRCS discretionary and mandatory program accounts and NRCS staff to the Business Center. It is unclear how the transfer of NRCS positions and funding to the FPAC Business Center has impacted the agency's overall operations relative to the decline in CO funding. The FY2020 explanatory statement directs USDA to report to Congress on the efficiencies gained through the Business Center's creation, along with other staffing plans.
Other discretionary spending is primarily for watershed programs. The largestâWatershed and Flood Prevention Operations (WFPO)âis funded at $175 million in FY2020. This is an increase in WFPO funding from FY2019 levels of $150 million. The FY2020 appropriation also funds other discretionary water-related programs, such as the Watershed Rehabilitation Program ($10 million), Water Bank program ($4 million), and wetland mitigation banking ($5 million).
Most mandatory conservation programs are authorized in omnibus farm bills and do not require an annual appropriation. However, previous Congresses have reduced mandatory conservation program funding through Changes in Mandatory Program Spending (CHIMPS) in the annual agricultural appropriations law every year between FY2003 and FY2018. The Trump Administration requested CHIMPS to two mandatory conservation programs for FY2020, but neither of these proposed reductions to mandatory conservation programs is included in the enacted FY2020 appropriation.
Agriculture appropriations bills may also include policy-related provisions that direct how the executive branch should carry out the appropriations. In the FY2020 appropriations act, these range from waiving specific programmatic requirements to requiring reports to Congress.